Reading, writing and computer game fans are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s, a study has suggested.

A lifetime of regular mental - or cognitive - stimulation is linked to a lower risk of dementia.

People who kept their minds occupied tended to have lower levels of a “hallmark” Alzheimer’s protein called amyloid in their brains, the report in the journal Archives of Neurology revealed.

Dr Simon Ridley, head of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “The authors of this small study suggest there may be benefits to keeping an active mind throughout life, not just in old age.

“Whilst the study found an association between cognitive activity and the levels of amyloid protein in the brain of healthy elderly volunteers, we cannot conclude that one directly causes the other.

“It would be important to follow these healthy participants and see whether those that reported higher cognitive activity were less likely to develop Alzheimer’s in the long run.

“With 820,000 people in the UK living with dementia, it is essential we understand the factors that can lower our risk, so we must invest in more research.”

The scientists from the University of California and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory examined 65 healthy older people with an average age of 76.1 years, 10 people with an average age of 74.8 who had Alzheimer’s and a control group of 11 young people with an average age of 24.5.

They asked study participants about their lifestyle, how often they indulged in “cognitively engaging activities” at different periods of their lives and checked their amyloid levels.

The researchers said: “It is unlikely our results reflect a single unitary cause of Alzheimer’s disease, which is a complex disease with many potential pathogenetic processes.

“Furthermore, cognitive activity is just one component of a complex set of lifestyle practices linked to Alzheimer’s disease risk that may be examined in future work.”